MSI Gaming N780 TF 3GD5/OC GeForce GTX 780 Review

MSI Gaming N780 TF 3GD5/OC GeForce GTX 780 Introduction:

The GTX 780 brought another layer of performance to the high end gamers while fleshing out NVIDIA's GTX performance stack with a card that clearly set the bar high for AMD with its next launch. Price wise it came in at about $350 less than the fastest single GPU card out, the GTX Titan, with performance that came very close to matching that of the GTX Titan. When the GTX 770 launched, NVIDIA's partners, MSI included, were set and ready to deliver in-house built products using their exclusive design philosophies. The result of that launch for MSI was the Gaming series N770 TF 2GD5/OC GTX 770. With the GTX 780, MSI had a small lag in that availability but soon after launched the card I am looking at today: the Gaming N780 TF 3GD5/OC GeForce GTX 780.

Packed full of MSI's best design philosophies and tools, the Gaming series GTX 780 features Military Class IV build components that meet MIL-STD-810G. You get Tantalum core Hi-C caps, new SFC Chokes, solid aluminum core capacitors, and MSI's own revised Twin Frozr IV cooling solution. Along with the build components, MSI raises the base core clock and GPU 2.0 Boost clocks to 954MHz/1006MHz, respectively, for added gaming performance out of the box. Included in this package is MSI's Afterburner overclocking and tuning utility that comes with Predator, a screen capture and recording utility that adds value by saving you a few bucks. For its Gaming series GPUs, MSI has put together a much simpler utility for the masses that prefer the install and go mindset. Called Gaming App, this utility lets the user flip between three modes without having to know what settings to change. Sweet and simple.

So where does all this feed into and what does it mean? MSI has put a focus on the gamer with its "G.A.M.E." spirit. Priced right at just $20 over the reference version's $649, it includes the game Splinter Cell: Blacklist again as an added value. Let's see if the philosophy holds up under some gaming tests to see if MSI has brought enough to the table.

MSI Gaming N780 TF 3GD5/OC GeForce GTX 780 Closer Look:

MSI has gone through a dramatic shift in its messaging to the consumer. The graphics on the packaging illustrate this and set MSI apart from its competitors on store shelves. The front panel features a large tribal dragon that represents MSI's Game Spirit philosophy. At the bottom right an icon shows that this is a factory overclocked model of the MSI GTX 780. At the top right is the Gaming series logo that lets you know this card is equipped with an extensive set of features, including MSI's Twin Frozr IV cooling solution. The back panel goes into detail on the Gaming specific feature set, including MSI's own Gaming App, Military Class IV technology, the Twin Frozr advanced cooling solution, and NVIDIA-specific feature set.

Inside the sleeve is a black box that carries the dark theme through to the internal packaging. Inside are two levels; one that holds the accessory bundle documentation and hardware, while the lower level holds the card deep in an open cell foam cushion. The accessory bundle that comes with the MSI N780 TF 3GD5/OC includes a quick installation guide, driver and utility disk, 6-pin to 8-pin PEG connector, and a dual 4-pin molex to 6-pin PEG connector. A pretty slim bundle, but with a card like this you most likely are not going to need adapters for your monitor(s) or even use the power adapters.

Packaging, check; bundle, check; card, nope not yet. After looking at the GTX 770 Gaming I found that MSI put together an excellent card that runs cool and overclocks well based on the design of the card. Let's dig into what MSI has put together with the N780 TF 3GD5/OC.